Saying we are all scribblers here at IDEA (*) would be a dramatic understatement.

I guess it is the nature of the work that we do. We write for work. But we seldom write of things that happen, of things that are to happen, and of things that never will. We also take pictures, run around with video cameras, sketch on pads and walls and burn fingers with soldering irons. Years ago, we established to become a provider of tools and services to give young people a voice. And as all changes, so do the tools and communication channels.

We started with debate and speech, and expanded to digital media, civic journalism, advocacy and the arts. We are still doing debate, albeit showed that it is not only words that can be the vehicle for an organized discussion and opinion exchange.

During the years, we have documented the work we do, using anything from photographs to sound design and video production. And by doing this, we have felt what every independent filmmaker has, at one point or another – how to deal with production costs and lack of tools with practically non-existent budgets. But people are resourceful, and there is a wealth of knowledge available where tinkerers have spent valuable time and energy into getting solutions in the hands of the needy.

So, why this blog?

We felt that every problem is unique enough that it warrants an elaboration on a solution. And as we develop solutions, we wanted a vehicle to both document and share them freely, as an effort to give back to the global community that helped us in the first place. Hence, IDEA’s New Ideas Lab – where we will be writing of hardware, software, design, video and program ideas. And music and debate, and speech and social entrepreneurship. And…

…who knows? Inspiring at least one person is well worth all the effort.

Art & Design for Advocacy

(*) IDEA refers to Foundation IDEA Southeast Europe, an entity within the network of International Debate Education Association, the world’s leading provider of debate resources, training and events to give young people a voice.

Editors note for future reference – we were halfway in this process before we remembered we are to document it. Hence, some of the published dates predate the creation of the blog – in order to reflect when the content was written as opposed to published.

An avid tinkerer, Marjan has dabbled with software, hardware and the occasional guitar (he is not very good at the latter). Could hardly wait on the emergence of IoT, and now will simply not let it go...